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Once Upon a Time Round Table: "Welcome to Storybrooke"

"Welcome to Storybrooke" exposed viewers to the beginning of the curse and the dangers of a lonely evil queen.

Below, our Once Upon a Time Round Table team of Nick McHatton, Jim Garner, and Carla Day are joined by show fan Gareth from Once Upon a Fan as the members decide if Snow White is doomed whether or not magic should be destroyed.

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What was your favorite scene?

Nick: Regina's Groundhogs Day reenactment. It offered a great example of Regina's attempts to find happiness through magic, yet every time she does complete a spell that will make her happy she only finds herself more isolated and alone. Also, I've missed Graham.

Gareth: The final scene with Snow and Regina. Very well played by both of them. Snow's despair was heartbreaking while Regina's enjoyment of Snow's suffering was equally chilling.

Jim: I enjoyed seeing how Storybrooke arrived and that Regina wasn't happy very long. It was a great nod to the question of "why adopt a son." However, I'm surprised it took her nearly 30 years to do it.

Carla: I liked the way two contrasting scenes played out in the episode. The first when Regina begged Owen to stay when he was on the town's border and then when Henry begging her to get rid of magic with her burning the love curse.

Is Regina correct? Will Snow's heart continue to blacken?

Nick: I'm not giving my full trust to Regina on this one. Cora's heart didn't look blackened, unless Once makes the distinction that hearts only blacken in bodies, so I'm leaning towards Regina doing some embellishment. I doubt Snow's heart will continue to blacken because she feels so much guilt for what she did.

Gareth: I don't think it will continue to blacken but I do think Regina's words will play on Snow's mind to the point where she may make some very bad choices. Snow has completely lost confidence in who she is and Regina will be out to exploit that and bring the Charming family down.

Jim: Like any sickness, if not treated it will grow. Of course, now that Snow is aware of it, there are powerful forces of good that can help.

Carla: She's right in a way. I think if Mary Margaret gives in to the dark side then her heart will continue to darken, but if she doesn't let that overtake her, her heart will be fine. Mary Margaret has to forgive herself and re-embrace her innocence

Any ideas on what Regina did with Kurt?

Nick: He's probably in her mausoleum.

Gareth: He's probably down in the hospital basement with Sidney.

Jim: This is an excellent question. She didn't have any magic and he wasn't lounging in the the jail. Maybe she sent him to visit a Syfy show for a few seasons and now that it ended (sorry, Alphas) he can come back.

Carla: It really depends on how the town accepts outsiders. Did Kurt age even though time didn't move in Storybrooke? (Which raises an intriguing question about when Henry arrived and why he did/didn't age.) Is he 28 years older? Or, is he still the same age as when he arrived? Best guess is that Kurt was either acclimated into the community or he was imprisoned next to Belle for all those years.

Has Cora's death made things better or worse in Storybrooke?

Nick: Neither, the situation in Storybrooke is mostly a stalemate right now. My guess is things will only get better or worse after when Owen tips his hand.

Gareth: The aftermath of Cora's death will play out over the rest Once Upon a Time Season 2. I think it will fundamentally change relationships between a lot of characters. It's certainly made things worse between Snow and Regina.

Jim: It's too early to really tell. Regina is really angry right now so until that cools a bit, we won't know for sure, but I would like to think it made things better.

Carla: With the exception of Mary Margaret's turn, it has returned to the way things were before Cora arrived. Since Cora was a huge threat to all the Storybrooke residents, I'd say it is better now. Mary Margaret will overcome her darkness, she is Snow after all.

Did Henry have the right idea about destroying magic?

Nick: I understand where Henry's coming from, but magic isn't the root cause of all evil. The fairies use magic for good and Regina, Rumple, or Cora use it for evil. The problem is really the people making poor choices. Storybrooke wasn't any better when magic wasn't there.

Gareth: Henry did seem to be the voice of reason in this episode. I'm not sure destroying it is the answer but magic does seem to be an easy fix for a lot of the characters. I'm interested in how it will affect Emma long term as she starts to wield it more. A lot of fans have picked up on the metaphors of magic as an addiction and we all know magic has a price at some stage.

Jim: He has the right idea, sadly the wrong method. I'm really glad that Regina made the bomb disappear he really was just going to get hurt.

Carla: There is always a cost to using magic, but it isn't all dark magic. If magic was destroyed, it wouldn't solve the blood feud or the problems of the town. And, it's necessary to get people back to their home in Fairy Tale Land. The big problem is the show wouldn't be nearly as interesting without magic, so it's not going anywhere. Sorry, Henry.

6. Which missing or dead character would you like to see return to Storybrooke? Graham, Cora, August, anyone I've missed.

Nick: Graham, by far. I did not like seeing his character go, and I'm always giddy when I see him pop up every once in a while.

Gareth: It was nice to see Graham again. I'd really like some info on all the characters we got to know in season one. Cinderella, Katherine, Sidney etc. They all seem to have been forgotten about since the curse broke.

Jim: For dead characters, I miss Graham. Seeing him last night just reminded me of what could have been. And Nick... giddy? Really?!?

Carla: I miss Graham. Though, with David becoming an officer of the law, Hook's arrival, and now Neal, I'm not sure how Graham would fit in. And, August will be back.

1. Favourite scene was between Rumpel and Regina at the beginning. It amazes me to see how much Rumpel has evolved; to the point where he can see the dangers of the neverending quest for revenge. 2. I'm with Nick - I'm not exactly sold on that. We've seen hearts of people who have done way worse things than Snow (like Cora) that weren't dark at all. 3. He's likely wherever she kept Belle for all these years. 4. It's made Regina angry(ier) at Snow, and less motivated to be a better person. Not sure if that makes things worse, but it's certainly not an improvement. 5. Yes and no. Magic certainly doesn't help things, but it's the choices of how to use it that makes things worse. 6. I miss Graham, but his death was necessary to raise the stakes in the show. I wonder about August every episode...

Lane•March 22, 2013 17:23

I agree that Graham doesn't fit in anymore. It's okay to see him in flashbacks, but it's better for the show that he's no longer in the present. He would either be sidelined like August or Archie or they would have to force him in, which wouldn't be good for the story. I want to know more about the characters from season 1 who are still alive like Sidney, Ashley, Sean, Kathryn, Frederick, and so on though. I like the idea for Snow to become darker, but I'm afraid they won't have the guts to go through with it.

Jodielee•March 22, 2013 03:20

I do not believe that Snows heart will blacken further, do I feel that she will continue to live in pain and torment? I do feel that she has a lot of repairing to do within herself nothing more. She has to forgive herself and who is Snow if not forgiveness? She has the purest heart of any one. Her heart has some healing to do just like with any one else. But unlike the rest of us snow knows how to forgive and build something out of a truly dark moment.

Has Cora's death made things better or worse in Storybrooke?Neither. it CHANGED things in storybrooke, but its far too complex to say whether this "avalanche effect" is for better or for worse.Did Henry have the right idea about destroying magic?Magic is the "easy way out" - a shortcut to power. And power corrupts. I don't think destroying magic would solve everything though. Magic is just another form of power, another temptation in lifeWhich missing or dead character would you like to see return to Storybrooke? Graham, Cora, August, anyone I've missed.Would like Cinderella or Kathryn to be back in some way, if only to get some closure to their stories.

What was your favorite scene?The last Snow/Regina scene tied with last Snow/Rumple scene. Is Regina correct? Will Snow's heart continue to blacken?I am thinking that yes. There are way too many parallels between Snow and Regina(as well as Snow and Rumple) for it to not happen. She WILL get redeemed in the end, of course, but before that I expect her go off the deep end far more. Any ideas on what Regina did with Kurt?Hospital Basement. Or Henry's videogame(because of his surname).